Thailand donates $100,000 to help Vietnam's battle with climate change

The Embassy of Thailand in Vietnam donated $100,000 on June 14 to help the country counter the effects of its most severe drought in almost a century.

The money was contributed by the Thai government as well as Thai citizens and 10 enterprises operating in Vietnam.

Ambassador Manopchai Vongphakdi said that Thailand is also affected by drought and salinity, so they can understand the difficulties the Vietnamese people are facing due to climate disasters. The ambassador added that Thailand is willing to share its experiences in handling drought and saltwater intrusion with Vietnam.

Nguyen Thien Nhan from the Vietnam Fatherland Front received the donation on behalf of the country, and promised to allocate it to those worst hit by the disaster.

It is estimated that climate change has cost Vietnam about $287 million so far this year. More than 1.5 million people are without clean water, and more than 400,000 hectares of crops have been ruined.

The country has for the first time also called on the international community to support a $48.5 million program to overcome the most severe drought it has suffered in nearly a century.